Mirza Naim Beg, the Pakistani banker turned wildlife photographer

In his floppy hat, flak jacket, and carrying heavy equipment, Mirza Naim Beg looks a typical wildlife photographer, begins the article by Zofeen T Ebrahim in Dawn. Only when you start talking to him do you find an ex-banker who took early retirement to follow his passion.

Beg is now known as the man who organises increasingly popular wildlife viewing tours across Pakistan. And ever since he was persuaded by a friend three years ago to join the FaceBook page Birds Of Pakistan, he has held three exhibitions, conducted wildlife photography workshops as well as lectures. “Now I maintain a page called Birds Of Sindh on FaceBook,” he says with pride.

“During these three years, many (people) in and around Karachi including Larkana, Mithi and Kathore who have long lenses, love wildlife and didn’t know where to go, have joined me in helping raise awareness of our wildlife and focus on conservation.’’

To date, Beg has recorded around 180 bird species in Sindh province and more than 200 species across the country.

Beg is worried about the threats humans pose to the birds, such as the burgeoning human population, the boom in real estate development, the loss of habitat, and uncontrolled hunting of game birds like Grey Francolin and migratory birds.

Beg has photographed birds such as the Eurasian Golden Oriole, Greater Flamingos at Port Qasim in Karachi, the Hoopoe or Hud-Hud, the Margall Hills Wallcreeper, the Asian Paradise Flycatcher, and the Black Rumped Flameback Woodpeckers.